No Activision skateboarding game in 2011

There will be no new Activision-published skateboarding game on the shelves this year for the first time since 1999.

During an investor call today, Activision COO Thomas Tippl confirmed that its long-serving Tony Hawk franchise would be taking a year out, following poor sales and dismal reviews of 2009's Tony Hawk: Ride and last year's follow up, Tony Hawk: Shred.

Laying out the publisher's plans for the year ahead, Tippl stated, "We will release no new music or skateboarding games" during the current calendar year."

The music game revelation won't come as much of a surprise - Activision also announced it had disbanded its music unit during the presentation, signaling the end for the Guitar Hero and DJ Hero franchises.

Activision hasn't discussed the future of the Tony Hawk brand since Shred's release. However, just prior to the game's launch it handed out a wedge of P45s at developer Robomodo, so if the series is to continue it may well be at a different studio.